Thursday, May 20, 2004
Team USA World Cup Team Announced
Wow, team USA looks like a collection of fogeys and players on the downturn.
Unlike Canada, who supplemented their team with a good core of younger stars, Team USA has only 4 position players under the age of 30.
This speaks volumes of the Americans player development, as most of their stars are entering the twilight of their careers.
Of course, the recent WJC20 and WJC18 teams for the USA were very strong, so the future is somewhat bright for the US...there is just a big gap between the stars of yesteryear and the stars of tomorrow.
The biggest weakness, by far, is in goal where the US can no longer count on superstar goaltending like they got from Mike Richter or John Vanbiesbrouck.
Rick DiPietro may one day be a star, but he's far away from it.
Esche is a quality goaltender, but he still hasn't proven himself over the long haul and isn't quite the same level of goalie as Richter was.
And btw, no Scott Gomez??!?!
Coach: Ron Wilson, San Jose Sharks
General Manager: Larry Pleau, St. Louis Blues
Assistant GM: Don Waddell, Atlanta Thrashers
TEAM USA
GOALIES DOB TEAM
Ty Conklin 03/04/76 Edmonton Oilers
Rick DiPietro 09/19/81 New York Islanders
Robert Esche 01/22/78 Philadelphia Flyers
DEFENSEMEN DOB TEAM
Chris Chelios 01/25/62 Detroit Red Wings
Derian Hatcher 06/04/72 Detroit Red Wings
Ken Klee 04/23/71 Toronto Maple Leafs
Brian Leetch 03/03/68 Toronto Maple Leafs
Jordan Leopold 08/03/80 Calgary Flames
Aaron Miller 08/11/71 Los Angeles Kings
Brian Rafalski 09/28/73 New Jersey Devils
Mathieu Schneider 06/12/69 Detroit Red Wings
FORWARDS DOB TEAM
Tony Amonte 09/02/70 Philadelphia Flyers
Jason Blake 09/02/73 New York Islanders
Craig Conroy 09/04/71 Calgary Flames
Chris Drury 08/20/76 Buffalo Sabres
Bill Guerin 11/09/70 Dallas Stars
Jeff Halpern 05/03/76 Washington Capitals
Brett Hull 08/09/64 Detroit Red Wings
Steve Konowalchuk 11/11/72 Colorado Avalanche
Jamie Langenbrunner 07/24/75 New Jersey Devils
Mike Modano 06/07/70 Dallas Stars
Jeremy Roenick 01/17/70 Philadelphia Flyers
Brian Rolston 02/21/73 Boston Bruins
Bryan Smolinski 12/27/71 Ottawa Senators
Keith Tkachuk 01/28/72 St. Louis Blues
Doug Weight 01/21/71 St. Louis Blues
Unlike Canada, who supplemented their team with a good core of younger stars, Team USA has only 4 position players under the age of 30.
This speaks volumes of the Americans player development, as most of their stars are entering the twilight of their careers.
Of course, the recent WJC20 and WJC18 teams for the USA were very strong, so the future is somewhat bright for the US...there is just a big gap between the stars of yesteryear and the stars of tomorrow.
The biggest weakness, by far, is in goal where the US can no longer count on superstar goaltending like they got from Mike Richter or John Vanbiesbrouck.
Rick DiPietro may one day be a star, but he's far away from it.
Esche is a quality goaltender, but he still hasn't proven himself over the long haul and isn't quite the same level of goalie as Richter was.
And btw, no Scott Gomez??!?!
Coach: Ron Wilson, San Jose Sharks
General Manager: Larry Pleau, St. Louis Blues
Assistant GM: Don Waddell, Atlanta Thrashers
TEAM USA
GOALIES DOB TEAM
Ty Conklin 03/04/76 Edmonton Oilers
Rick DiPietro 09/19/81 New York Islanders
Robert Esche 01/22/78 Philadelphia Flyers
DEFENSEMEN DOB TEAM
Chris Chelios 01/25/62 Detroit Red Wings
Derian Hatcher 06/04/72 Detroit Red Wings
Ken Klee 04/23/71 Toronto Maple Leafs
Brian Leetch 03/03/68 Toronto Maple Leafs
Jordan Leopold 08/03/80 Calgary Flames
Aaron Miller 08/11/71 Los Angeles Kings
Brian Rafalski 09/28/73 New Jersey Devils
Mathieu Schneider 06/12/69 Detroit Red Wings
FORWARDS DOB TEAM
Tony Amonte 09/02/70 Philadelphia Flyers
Jason Blake 09/02/73 New York Islanders
Craig Conroy 09/04/71 Calgary Flames
Chris Drury 08/20/76 Buffalo Sabres
Bill Guerin 11/09/70 Dallas Stars
Jeff Halpern 05/03/76 Washington Capitals
Brett Hull 08/09/64 Detroit Red Wings
Steve Konowalchuk 11/11/72 Colorado Avalanche
Jamie Langenbrunner 07/24/75 New Jersey Devils
Mike Modano 06/07/70 Dallas Stars
Jeremy Roenick 01/17/70 Philadelphia Flyers
Brian Rolston 02/21/73 Boston Bruins
Bryan Smolinski 12/27/71 Ottawa Senators
Keith Tkachuk 01/28/72 St. Louis Blues
Doug Weight 01/21/71 St. Louis Blues
Labels: Team USA, Vanbiesbrouck, World Cup
